Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Enhances Visitor Restrictions
CHATHAM-KENT: March 17, 2020 – Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) will be implementing enhanced visitor restrictions as of March 18, 2020 at 12:01 a.m. in response to COVID-19. This measure is in line with heightened requirements on social distancing to prevent the spread of the disease. No visitors will be permitted to the Chatham and Wallaceburg sites with a few exceptions.
Exceptions include ONE consistent visitor for the following patients only:
- labouring mothers
- peadiatrics and Level 2 Nursery
- palliative care
- critical care
- emergency department
- those requiring accessibility accommodations.
All visitors must be over the age of 18, designated by a patient in one of the units named above, must be non-symptomatic and are required to check in at the main entrance at the Chatham Site and Emergency Department (ED) at the Wallaceburg Site where they will undergo screening. Visiting hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for visitors designated by patients. Visiting outside of those hours will be by exception approved by the care team and those visitors will be required to enter through the Emergency Department at both sites in off hours.
Patients arriving for outpatient visit/procedure or diagnostic test will be permitted to bring a support person if they require accessibility assistance.
Public entrances continue to be limited to the main entrance at the Chatham Site, and the Emergency Department (ED) at the Wallaceburg Site. The ED entrance at the Chatham Site is for emergency patients only. CKHA advises the public to NOT come to the hospital unless it is absolutely necessary.
Individuals will be screened at the above mentioned entrances and only those with medical appointments or identified on the list of visitors will be admitted.
At these screening points staff will enquire about:
- Recent travel history / recent contact with potentially exposed persons
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
CKHA is reminding the community to NOT come to the hospital if you are ill with a respiratory infection where you may risk transmitting this virus to another individual. If you are unsure whether you have contracted the COVID-19 virus, contact your primary care provider, the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit’s COVID-19 intake line at 519.355.1071 x 1900, email covid19@chatham-kent.ca or call Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 (24 hours, seven days a week).
Please continue to visit www.ontario.ca/coronavirus, www.ckpublichealth.com/covid19 or www.ckha.on.ca for regular updates on COVID-19.
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About CKHA
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) is a 200 bed community hospital, serving the residents of Chatham and rural Kent including Walpole Island and Delaware First Nations. Formed in 2018, CKHA is committed to delivering quality and safe care at its two sites in Chatham and Wallaceburg. CKHA collaborates with other partners to deliver care across its community. CKHA’s dedicated team is comprised of approximately 1,400 staff, 200 physicians and 300 volunteers. CKHA provides a full range of programs, services and specialties from internal medicine and surgery to women & children’s and critical care; it is designated a schedule one facility under the Ministry of Health and cares for tens of thousands of inpatients, outpatients and emergency patients annually. CKHA is equipped with state of the art diagnostics and technology to support its varied programs. CKHA’s vision: Together, growing a healthier community, underscores a movement to improving the population’s health. Grounded by its values “CKHA CARES” (Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, Safety), CKHA commits to continuously improve the patient experience in partnership with patients, families and caregivers. For more information, click here to read CKHA’s Fast Facts.
To arrange a media interview, please contact:
Emily Field, Communications Specialist
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance
